We cracked open this shoebox and found 64 bits of goodness. Nathan Davis' just had Dunlop Volleys.
There are the usual goodies such as six channel audio (AC'97), USB 2.0, FireWire, SPDIF in/out, the god-like external CMOS reset button, a Gigabit Ethernet port and the obligatory stealth bay. On the inside, aside from the chip update and Socket change, there isn't much difference from the usual. It contains two RAID-able SATA 150 and two PATA ports, AGP 8x, a PCI slot and two Dual Channel DDR-400 DIMM slots. Even though space is wads scarce, installation was a breeze.
At the time of writing, the Aussie retail price wasn't confirmed, but we know it won't be for the lightwalleted. As such it could be a little pricey for what is essentially a relatively bare mix by Shuttle standards, and could probably do with something extra, be that a six-in-one media reader or 802.11g.
Once powered up, there's not a sound to be heard. It uses the well engineered ICE-Heatsink cooling system we've come to expect from Shuttle for the CPU, with a slight barrier surrounding where the processor sits on the copper core. This is slightly annoying for those of us who are anal about the ultimate thin spread of goop. And so quiet, the silent chipset cooler spun over twice as fast as the temperature controlled 92mm CPU cooler, which rarely revved above 900rpm. Dust mites are louder.
It's craving for a feisty new Socket 939 Athlon 64 to mate with, sporting the rock solid and sweet nForce3 250. Suited to pump out everything that's thrown at it, with the added bonuses of a reduced noise factor and sassy design, this kit is - though a little empty - fully deluxe.
Issue: 137 | June, 2012